Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1887-12-16

like whipped school children. nj
whimporing. At last suppcr-timt
came and mother went out to prepare
It, went into the kitchen with her
Where do you live, JimmyP' she
asked.
"'In New York, replied.
"What arc you workin' at now
JimmyP
"'rm working in adry-goods store.
"'Thcn l suppose you don't live
very high, for / hear tell o. them city
clerks what don't get enough money to
keep body and soul together. So III
just tell you, Jimmy, we got nothin'
but roast spOrcribs for supper We
amt got any money now, Jimmy.
Wore poorer nor Jobs turkey
al told her that would be delighted
with the sparcrbs, and to tell the
truth, John, l haven't eaten n meal in
New York that tasted as well as those
crisp roasted spareribs did. l spent
the evening playing checkers with
| father, while mother sat by telling me
all about thcif msfortunes, from old
white Moolcy getting drowned in the
pond to fathers signing note for n
friend and having to mortgage the
place to pay it, The mortgage was
due inside of week and not cent to
meet it with-just eight hundred dol
lars. She supposed they would be
turned out of house and home, but
in my mind l supposed they wouldn't.
| At last nine o'clock came, and father
said "Jim, go out to the barn and see
If Kit is ali tight. Bring in an armful
of old shingles that are just inside the
door, and fill up the water pail. Then
we'll go of to bed and get up early
and go a-fishing.'
81 didn't say n word, but l went out
TO the barn, bedded down the horse,
broke up an armful of shingles,
pumped pail of water, filed the
wood-box, and then all went to bed.
Father called me at 4:3O in the
morning, and while he was getting
cup of coffee | skipped over 10 the
depot and got my best brass rod.
Father took nothing but a trolling-line
and spoon hook. He rowcd the boat
with his trolling-linc in his mouth,
while stood in the stern with silver
sinner rugged on. Now, John, never
saw man catch fish like he did. To
make long story short, he caught four
bass and five pickercl and l never got
n bite.
At noon we went ashore, and father
went home, while l went to tho post
office. | got letter from Chicago
with check for $1,000 in it. With
some trouble | got it cashcd, getting
paid in So and $40 bills, making quite
n roll. then got Il roast joint of beef
and lot of dclicacics and had them
sent home. The joint was in the oven.
Mother had put on her only silk dress,
and father had donned his Sunday-go-
connecting clothes, none too good
either. This is where played joke
on the old folks Mother was in the
kitchen watching the roast Father
was out TO the barn, and had clear
coast. ] dumped the sugar out of the
old blue bowl, put the 81, 900 in ii, and
placed the cover on again. At last,
supper was ready. Father asked a
blessing over it, and he actually
tremblcd when he stuck his knife in the
roast.
"'We haven't had piece of meat
like this in five years, Jim, he said,
and mother put in with And we
haven't had any coffee IN year, only
when we went a-vistn'.'
"rhen she poured out the coffee and
lifted the cover of the sugar-bowl, ask
ing rs she did so: How many spoons,
JimmyP'
Then she struck something that
wasn't sugar She picked up the bowl
and pcered into it. Aha! Master JIM
my, playing your old tricks on your
nanny, ehP Well, boys will be
boysr
Then she gasped for breath. She
saw it was money. She looked Mt me,
then at father, and then with trembling
hands she drew the great roll of bills
out.
"Ha! ha! ha! l can see father now
rs he stood there then on tiptoe, with
his knife in one hand, fork in the other,
and his eyes fairly bulging out of his
head. But it was too much for mother.
She raised her eyes TO Heaven and said
slowly: Put your trust in the Lord, for
He will provide.
"Then she tainted away. Well, John,
there's not much more to tell. We
threw water in her face and brought
her to, and then we demolished that
dinner, mother all the time saying:
My boy Jimmy! My boy Jimmyn
II staid at home month. l fixed
up the place, paid off the debts, had n
good time, and came back again to
New York. 1 am going to send fifty
dollars home every week. | tell you,
John, it's mighty nice to have home"
John was looking steadily Mt the
head of his cane. When he spoke he
took Jim by the hand and said:
"Jim, old friend, what you told me
has affected me greatly. haven't
heard from my old home way up in
Maine for ten years. I'm going home
tomorrow" ~ Y Sun.
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